Saint Clément Earthenware Dish, Signed By Gallé, Decorated With The Coat Of Arms Of The City Of Nancy; 19th Century

The coat of arms of Nancy is one of the most complex in France: it combines a strong botanical emblem—the thistle—with a chief bearing the full coat of arms of the Duchy of Lorraine, itself composed of eight distinct quarters. Each element refers to a specific chapter in the city’s princely history.

• The thistle (stalk torn from sinople, blooming in purple): a symbol of defense and resistance, adopted after the victory over Charles the Bold in 1477. Its natural motto, “whoever brushes against it gets pricked,” has become that of the entire city.
• Silver (the white background of the shield): a heraldic metal symbolizing purity, it highlights the vibrancy of the thistle’s green and purple.
• Sinople (green): the heraldic color of the stem and leaves, a symbol of hope and nature.
• Purple (thistle flower): a rare color in heraldry, associated with princely dignity and sovereignty.
• The chief bearing the full coat of arms of Lorraine: the upper band of the shield bearing eight quarters representing the major dynasties allied with the Dukes of Lorraine, including Hungary, the Two Sicilies, Jerusalem, Aragon, Anjou, Guelders, Juliers, and Barrois.
• The silver alerions on a gules band: at the heart of the coat of arms of Lorraine, these eaglets without beaks or talons are the original symbol of the ducal house, linked to the legend of Godfrey of Bouillon.
• The oak and laurel branches: they frame the shield and symbolize valor and victory, respectively, from which hang three honorary medals.